Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for June 1, 2010:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Not all quantum properties are lost through interaction with the environment- Glitch shows how much US military relies on GPS
- Copper Nanowires Enable Bendable Displays, Solar Cells
- Chemists design new way to fluorescently label proteins
- Study investigates craters formed by raindrops (w/ Video)
- Backwards Black Holes Might Make Bigger Jets
- Adults with dyslexia have problems with non-speech sounds too
- Second language learners recall native language when reading
- Immune system helps transplanted stem cells navigate in central nervous system
- New automated tool 'debugs' nuclear weapon simulations
- Congress Considers Cow Power, Other Alternative Energy Technologies
- Crocs and fish key to human evolution
- Brain powered robot
- Neanderthals walk into frozen Britain 40,000 years earlier than thought
- 'Mal-intent' may be the future of security
Space & Earth news
How New York City is preparing for climate change
New York City is establishing itself as a global leader in forming a proactive response to climate change, reveals a new report detailing the city's plans to adapt to the challenges and opportunities the changing climate presents. The plans, revealed in the first report of the New York City Panel on Climate Change (NPCC) and published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, outline the measures the city will take to proactively respond to climate change in a way that will provide both long-term environmental, and short-term economic, benefits to the city.
Oil spill reshapes sweeping new study of oyster reefs -- Virginia to Florida
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. ⎯ Florida State University marine biologist David L. Kimbro will lead scientists from Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Maine in a massive effort to study the health and future of the nation's natural oyster reefs in 12 estuaries spanning 1,000 miles of Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico shoreline.
Tropical Cyclone Phet threatens the Indian and Pakistani coastlines
NASA satellite imagery confirmed that Tropical cyclone 03A has intensified quickly in the last 24 hours, and as a result, the storm has been renamed Tropical Storm Phet. Phet is located in the Arabian Sea, Northern Indian Ocean, and is threatening the Indian and Pakistani coastlines.
NASA completes critical design review of Landsat data continuity mission
The Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) reached a major milestone last week when it successfully completed its Mission Critical Design Review (CDR).
Warmer climate makes Baltic more salty
Science has long believed that a warmer climate will increase river runoff to the Baltic Sea, thus making the inland sea less salty. However, a new extensive study from the University of Gothenburg reveals that the effect will probably be the opposite: climate change will reduce river runoff and increase salinity in the Baltic Sea.
Australia takes legal action to stop Japan whaling
Australia has launched legal action at the International Court of Justice to stop Japan's hunting of whales, Japanese officials said Tuesday, calling the move "extremely regrettable".
BP warns of long effort to cap spill
BP officials warned they may not be able to stop the Gulf of Mexico oil leak until August, as Louisiana residents warned the spill could wipe out dozens of fish species.
Algal blooms hit the poor of India hard
The problem of toxic algae is not just confined to the Nordic countries - in India algal blooms are threatening poor people's access to food and their livelihoods, a problem that has been exacerbated by global warming. With funding from the Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, researchers from the University of Gothenburg are to attempt to reduce the effects of algal blooms.
After the oil spill: New research sheds light on coral susceptibility to environmental stress
Much attention has been paid to the fate of wildlife living on and above the Gulf of Mexico's surface. Now, a new research study published in the June 2010 print issue of the FASEB Journal looks toward the seafloor to explain coral susceptibility to disease outbreaks when they encounter environmental stress and to set the stage for understanding exactly what type of undersea environment is necessary to promote coral health and growth after the oil spill cleanup. In addition, this research also opens doors for the development of new tools that can assess the health of corals, which is important when trying to establish manmade reefs or to save ones that already exist.
3 Questions: John Marshall on the Gulf of Mexico oil spill
(PhysOrg.com) -- More than a month after the tragic events that set off the largest oil spill in U.S. history, scientists and BP officials continue to disagree over the amount of oil that has escaped into the Gulf of Mexico. Unlike other oil spills that have occurred relatively close to the surface, this spill is located about a mile down, which has made it difficult to predict the effects. John Marshall, an oceanographer in MIT's Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, spoke to MIT News about the deep-sea catastrophe and the long, difficult cleanup ahead.
Saturn, Mars and Venus line up in June sky
(PhysOrg.com) -- As darkness falls at the beginning of June, three planets will form a long line in the western sky. Saturn will be at the upper left, Mars in the middle and Venus at the lower right.
Agatha drenches Guatemala and El Salvador, remnants now in Caribbean
Tropical Storm Agatha was the first tropical storm of the Eastern Pacific hurricane season, and took an inland route, drenching El Salvador and Guatemala this past weekend.
Scientists Use Unique Model to Predict Active 2010 Hurricane Season
(PhysOrg.com) -- Florida State University scientists who have developed a unique computer model with a knack for predicting hurricanes with unprecedented accuracy are forecasting an unusually active season this year.
Backwards Black Holes Might Make Bigger Jets
(PhysOrg.com) -- Going against the grain may turn out to be a powerful move for black holes. New research suggests supermassive black holes that spin backwards might produce more ferocious jets of gas. The results have broad implications for how galaxies change over time.
Technology news
Most Americans don't know home broadband speed: survey
Eighty percent of Americans do not know the speed of their home Internet broadband connection, but most are satisfied with its performance, according to a survey released on Tuesday.
Revolutionary crane technology may be in Navy's future
The Office of Naval Research (ONR) successfully completed multiphase testing of the Large Vessel Interface Lift On/Lift Off (LVI Lo/Lo) Crane technology demonstrator recently, marking a major milestone in at-sea, ship-to-ship cargo transfer capabilities.
S.Korea firm to put cable TV on Internet
A South Korean cable television company said it launched a service on the Internet on Tuesday allowing viewers to access their favourite shows anywhere.
Developer preview of Kamra, the first open standards-based mobile augmented reality browser
The Georgia Institute of Technology announces the release of the developer preview of Kamra, the first mobile augmented reality (AR) browser for the KHARMA (KML/HTML Augmented Reality Mobile Architecture) development platform based on open Web standards.
Hewlett-Packard to cut 9K jobs in services unit
(AP) -- Hewlett-Packard Co. said Tuesday it will lay off about 9,000 workers in the unit that provides technology services to other businesses as the company consolidates and automates its commercial data centers.
China, Japan launch Asian eBay rival
China's largest retail website Taobao and Yahoo! Japan launched a joint service Tuesday in a deal expected to create the world's biggest online marketplace by harnessing Asia's surging ranks of e-consumers.
Woman sues Google over Utah walking directions
(AP) -- A pedestrian injured by a motorist while following an online route has filed a lawsuit claiming Google Inc. supplied unsafe directions.
China to subsidise purchases of green vehicles
China said Tuesday it would subsidise purchases of alternative energy vehicles in five cities amid efforts to reduce emissions, save energy and spur the development of green technology.
The world: a global village called Babel
(PhysOrg.com) -- European scientists have developed groundbreaking technology to enable machine translation using statistical analysis. Now linguistic diversity can be found in translation.
World of lights in the microcosmos
(PhysOrg.com) -- Light-emitting diodes are gaining ground: They are now being used as background lighting for displays. But the manufacturing of complex LED optics is still complex and expensive. A new technology is revolutionizing production: Large-scale LED components can now be manufactured cost-effectively.
Painting at the Speed of Light
(PhysOrg.com) -- The Student Optics Chapter has built a laser graffiti system intended to spark public interest in optical sciences.
FCC plans study to measure broadband speeds
(AP) -- The Federal Communications Commission wants to find out whether broadband providers are delivering Internet connections that are as fast as advertised.
Facebook users warned of 'likejacking' scam
Internet security firm Sophos has warned Facebook users to be on the alert for a scam which sends a spam message to all of their friends on the social network.
Yahoo! email gingerly growing more social
Yahoo! is gingerly expanding Twitter-like social-networking features while trying to avoid privacy stumbles made by titans Facebook and Google.
30.3 billion videos watched online in US in April: comScore
More than 30.3 billion videos were watched online in the United States in April, industry tracker comScore reported on Tuesday.
In solar power, N.J. shines
If NFI Industries' calculations are right, the three acres of solar panels just installed on the roof of its Cherry Hill, N.J., headquarters will save $750,000 in energy costs over 15 years and become a green feather in its cap. The 1.32-megawatt project could also be a launchpad.
30,000 quit Facebook in protest
A group protesting Facebook's privacy policies said Monday more than 30,000 people had heeded its call to quit the social networking giant.
China boasts world's second-fastest supercomputer
China's ambitions to become a major global power in the world of supercomputing were given a boost when one of its machines was ranked second-fastest in a survey.
Apple-Google fight is expected over future of TV
Another battle is brewing between Apple Inc. and Google Inc., and this time it may come into your living room.
New automated tool 'debugs' nuclear weapon simulations
Purdue University researchers, working with high-performance computing experts at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, have created an automated program to "debug" simulations used to more efficiently certify the nation's nuclear weapons.
Congress Considers Cow Power, Other Alternative Energy Technologies
(PhysOrg.com) -- Legislators attending this year's Congressional Energy and Energy Efficiency Expo and Forum in Washington, DC, last week were quick to point out the problems with fossil fuel -- from cave-ins at coal mines to the oil spill in the Gulf.
Brain powered robot
(PhysOrg.com) -- A squat, circular robot scurries along the floor of a laboratory, moving left, then right, then left again, before coming to a stop. A Northeastern University student researcher commands the gadget through a brain-computer interface that controls the movement of the robot using signals produced by his visual cortex.
Microbe power as a green means to hydrogen production
Scientists have been hard at work harnessing the power of microbes as an attractive source of clean energy. Now, Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University researcher Dr. Prathap Parameswaran and his colleagues have investigated a means for enhancing the efficiency of clean energy production by using specialized bacteria.
'Mal-intent' may be the future of security
If Bob Burns is correct, terrorists may betray themselves someday by jiggling on a Nintendo Wii balance board, blinking too fast, curling a lip like Elvis -- or doing nothing at all. Burns and his team of scientists are researching whether video game boards, biometric sensors and other high-tech devices can be used to detect distinct nonverbal cues from people who harbor "mal-intent," or malicious intent.
Glitch shows how much US military relies on GPS
A problem that rendered as many as 10,000 U.S. military GPS receivers useless for days is a warning to safeguard a system that enemies would love to disrupt, a defense expert says.
Medicine & Health news
ACR task force makes recommendations for improving relationships between radiologists and hospitals
The American College of Radiology's (ACR) Task Force on Relationships between Radiology Groups and Hospitals and Other Healthcare Organizations has proposed several steps that can help improve relationships between radiologists and the health care systems that they service, according to an article in the June issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology .
Survey shows Australians worry about brain health
The majority of Australians (58%) are worried about their brain health and the threat of age-related degenerative brain disease, according to a new survey.
Aging baby boomers will have to innovate
As their autonomy fades, tomorrow's elderly will need to create non-traditional support networks or pay for the care they receive.
Researchers merge PET and SPECT biomedical imaging techniques and increase resolution
Dutch researchers have succeeded in combining two forms of medical imaging techniques into one piece of equipment. These techniques are particularly useful for cancer research. The two techniques are known as microPET and microSPECT. SPECT and PET can be performed simultaneously and they give a higher resolution than traditional microSPECT and microPET. The new device is known as the VECTor (Versatile Emission Computed Tomography) and is designed for use in fundamental research into the functioning of cells and organs. It can show functional details smaller than half a millimetre.
Forget take-out: Families still big on home cooking
The home-cooked meal is alive and well, says a University of British Columbia researcher. It just doesn't look, taste or feel like a Leave-it-to-Beaver meal from the 1950s.
Binge drinkers report suboptimal health status more often than nonbinge drinkers
Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that excessive drinking is responsible for approximately 79,000 deaths annually in the United States. Binge drinking accounts for more than half of those deaths. A new study has looked at the frequency of binge drinking in relation to drinkers' own perceptions of their overall health status. Findings indicate that binge drinkers have a 13 to 23 percent greater likelihood of self-reporting suboptimal health status.
'Academic detailing' effective way to educate doctors about treatment guidelines
Researchers often get frustrated when doctors fail to adopt treatment guidelines backed by the best evidence-based research.
Acceptance, social support, and educational access provide safety net for former child soldiers
The Child Soldiers Global Report 20081 estimates that more than 300,000 children are engaged as soldiers around the globe, and more children are recruited every year in ongoing and new conflicts. Although a number of multinational coalitions are aligned to stop the recruitment of child soldiers, some countries persist in not only the recruitment of children but also in exposing children to both the psychological and physical dangers associated with combat.
Epilepsy surgery has good effect
Patients with drug-resistant epilepsy run the risk of gradual deterioration in their cognitive abilities. Surgical treatment generally puts an end to seizures but can have a negative effect on memory. However, there is no further deterioration in memory, and some patients may even recover some of their memory capacity, reveals a thesis from the University of Gothenburg.
Patients who refuse prostate cancer surgery have worse long-term survival
Men who refuse surgery for prostate cancer and instead opt for "watchful waiting" - monitoring cancer progression without undergoing treatment - have a significantly worse long-term survival rate than those patients that choose radiotherapy, according to researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.
Clinical trial finds azithromycin pills equal to penicillin shots for treating early syphilis
In a clinical trial involving HIV-negative volunteers with early-stage syphilis, researchers have found that antibiotic pills (azithromycin) are as effective as penicillin injections in curing early-stage syphilis. The study was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health.
Only 5 percent of cancer research funds are spent on metastases, yet it kills 90 percent of all cancer patients
On average, about five percent of total cancer research funding is spent on investigating metastases (the spread of cancer cells around the body) in Europe, yet metastatic disease is the direct or indirect cause of 90 percent of all cancer deaths, according to an editorial in the European Journal of Cancer (EJC).
Faith-based groups can aid response to HIV in Central America, study finds
Faith-based organizations such as churches and religious relief and development groups can play an important role in the response to HIV and AIDS in Central America, according to a new RAND Corporation report.
Targeted immunotherapy shows promise for metastatic breast, pancreatic cancers
Early trials using targeted monoclonal antibodies in combination with existing therapies show promise in treating pancreatic cancer and metastatic breast cancer, according to research that will be presented by investigators from the University of Pennsylvania's Abramson Cancer Center at the 2010 meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology June 4 through 8. One study uses an antibody to enhance the effectiveness of a breast cancer vaccine developed at Penn to treat women with advanced breast cancer, while a pancreatic cancer trial uses an immune-enhancing antibody to increase the effectiveness of a current standard drug used to treat pancreatic cancer.
Eliminating tumor suppressor C/EBP alpha explains cancer in aging liver
Understanding how the tumor suppressor protein C/EBP alpha is eliminated in aging livers gives important clues to the mechanism by which cancer occurs in that organ and could point the way to new therapies and prevention, said Baylor College of Medicine researchers in a report that appears online today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Genetic differences may influence joint pain among women taking lifesaving breast cancer drugs
Aromatase inhibitor-associated arthralgia (AIAA) is a major side effect in breast cancer survivors, producing joint pain so severe that as many as ten percent of women discontinue their therapy prematurely while undergoing treatment with these lifesaving drugs. New research presented by investigators from the University of Pennsylvania's Abramson Cancer Center at the 2010 meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology reveals a possible genetic basis for why these side effects occur and shows promise for treating these symptoms without interfering with the drugs' efficacy. Additional research will also be presented shedding light on the physical and psychological factors that influence women's decisions to stop taking the drugs.
Race for new hips
A recent study by researchers at the VA Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, suggests that patient treatment preferences play an important role in racial disparities in total joint replacement utilization observed in the US. Different attitudes toward total joint replacement procedures held by African American and white patients explained racial disparities in whether orthopedic surgeons recommended the procedure to patients. These findings by Dr. Leslie Hausmann, from the VA, and her colleagues, are published online in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, published by Springer.
Molecular imaging and CT colonography team up to bring comfort to patients
A study published in the June issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine shows that positron emission tomography (PET)—a molecular imaging technique—combined with computer tomography (CT) colonography may provide a suitable alternative for detecting polyps and cancer in the colon. This particular imaging method may be especially desirable for patients because it does not require sedation or bowel preparation.
Surgeon-engineer team produce training software for robot-assisted surgery
Two Buffalo scientists have paired up to create technology that has the potential to revolutionize surgical training worldwide, developing the first procedure-based, hands-on surgical training software. Their patent-pending system, Hands-On Surgical Training (HOST), guides surgeons through real-time operative procedures using the Robotic Surgical Simulator (RoSS) interface.
Calcium supplements: too much of a good thing?
Negative health effects linked to taking too much supplemental calcium are on the rise, according to a commentary appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN). The incidence of the so-called milk-alkali or calcium-alkali syndrome is growing in large part because of widespread use of over-the-counter calcium and vitamin D supplements.
Lucky break: Quit smoking after fracture surgery for better healing
Smokers who refrain from using tobacco during the six-week period following emergency surgery for an acute fracture heal more quickly and experience fewer complications than patients who continue to smoke during the healing process, according to a study published in the June 2010 issue of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS).
Health-care economics and policy: It's a perfect storm
Healthcare reform -- and the many options for fixing a broken system -- have appeared in the news headlines for months. According to an article in the June issue of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS), Medicare patients - many who suffer from disabling arthritis of the hip and knee, among other age-related ailments - may end up facing an accessibility crisis to medical care.
Proton therapy carries precise, potent punch against children's cancers
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia announces the availability of proton therapy, a precise form of cancer radiation that offers potentially life-changing benefits to children with brain tumors and other solid tumors. The Hospital's Cancer Center has recently begun using proton treatment at the new Roberts Proton Therapy Center, a cutting-edge radiation oncology facility located across the street from Children's Hospital in Penn Medicine's Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine.
Study identifies treatments associated with lower bleeding rates following cardiac procedures
In a study that included data from more than 1.5 million patients, use of vascular closure devices and the anticoagulant bivalirudin were associated with significantly lower bleeding rates for patients following a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI; procedures such as balloon angioplasty or stent placement used to open narrowed coronary arteries), according to a study in the June 2 issue of JAMA. The researchers also found that patients who may benefit most from these treatments, those at greatest risk of bleeding, were least likely to receive them.
Excess oxygen in blood after cardiac resuscitation may increase risk of in-hospital death
Patients who have excessive oxygen levels in arterial blood (hyperoxia) following resuscitation from cardiac arrest have a higher rate of death in the hospital than similar patients without arterial hyperoxia, according to a study in the June 2 issue of JAMA.
Closer to understanding how tumours evade immune responses
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists are one step closer to understanding how to design effective anti-tumour vaccines, due to PhD research by a recent Victoria University graduate.
What are the most effective strategies for secondary suicide prevention?
Attempts to reduce suicide in a population do not always focus enough on high-risk patients, argues an Essay in PLoS Medicine this week that discusses different interventions for "secondary suicide prevention."
How reliable is prognostic research? A case study of C-reactive protein in coronary artery disease
Prognostic markers provide tools for discriminating between groups of patients who are at different risks of a particular outcome, and therefore should help clinicians to manage disease. In a comprehensive overview of studies looking at one such proposed marker, C-reactive protein (CRP) in coronary artery disease, Harry Hemingway and colleagues, from University College London, show that despite the inclusion of many tens of thousands of patients in research on this specific question, the published record is so inadequate that no clear clinical recommendations can be made.
New tool for pre-surgical detection of kidney cancers may help patients avoid unnecessary surgeries
Kidney cancer is a radiographic diagnosis which means treatment decisions are often made based on the findings of a solid mass on CT or MRI. Unfortunately these tests cannot distinguish the different types of kidney cancers which have variable risks. As more Americans continue to be scanned as part of their evaluation for various ailments and symptoms, the number of kidney tumors found serendipitously has increased such that now up to 70 percent of kidney cancers are discovered incidentally.
For heart failure patients, risk of in-hospital death has decreased; readmission rate has increased
An analysis of Medicare data from 1993 through 2006 for older patients hospitalized for heart failure indicates that along with a decrease in hospital length of stay, the rate of in-hospital and 30-day mortality has decreased, while the rate of hospital readmission and discharge to skilled nursing facilities has increased, according to a study in the June 2 issue of JAMA.
Australia uses experimental drug to halt virus spread
An experimental drug so far only tested on animals has been given to an Australian woman and child in an effort to prevent an outbreak of a potentially deadly virus, health officials said Tuesday.
Anxiety is a killer distraction on our roads
(PhysOrg.com) -- Driving while stressed can be as distracting and dangerous as talking on your mobile phone, according to a study by Queensland University of Technology (QUT).
Synthetic peptide may regenerate brain tissue in stroke victims
A synthetic version of a naturally occurring peptide promoted the creation of new blood vessels and repaired damaged nerve cells in lab animals, according to researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.
New answers on multiple hereditary exostoses, rare childhood disease
Children born with multiple hereditary exostoses (MHE) suffer from abnormal growths on their bones. These bony protrusions stunt their growth and can cause pain and disfigurement. Scientists have long known which genes are mutated in this rare disease, but not how the mutations lead to abnormal bone growth. Even attempts at replicating the symptoms in mice have been unsuccessful, hampering the search for treatments. In a study published May 31 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute created a new mouse model that mimics the disease in humans, providing new opportunities to test treatments.
Nottingham research leads to blood test for early detection of cancer
The University of Nottingham spin-out company, Oncimmune Ltd, has developed a ground breaking blood test which will aid the detection of cancer as much as five years earlier than current testing methods such as mammography and CT scans. Physicians will know the result of their patient's test within one week of sending in a blood sample to Oncimmune.
Lead in ammunition contaminates game meat
Eating the meat of animals hunted using lead ammunition can be more dangerous for health than was previously thought, especially for children and people who consume large quantities. This is reflected in a study carried out by British and Spanish researchers that has been published by the journal PLos ONE.
Blood-thinning copycat enters malaria fight
New treatments for malaria are possible after Walter and Eliza Hall Institute scientists found that molecules similar to the blood-thinning drug heparin can stop malaria from infecting red blood cells.
ADHD linked to low maternal education, lone parents and welfare benefits
A major study of more than a million children has found strong links between receiving medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and limited maternal education, single parent families and welfare benefits, according to the June issue of Acta Paediatrica
Antidepressants linked to cataract risk -- Parkinson's drug may cause corneal damage
This month's Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, includes new studies on links between eye diseases and two widely-prescribed drugs: SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) antidepressants, and amantadine, a Parkinson's disease treatment.
Scientists advance understanding of deadly form of malaria
Scientists are making strides against cerebral malaria, a fatal form of malaria in children that can ravage the brain and is extremely difficult to treat. New research points to platelets - known for their role in blood clotting - as playing an important role in the disease, stimulating the immune system and turning on molecules that increase inflammation. The inflammation leads to the obstruction of blood vessels in the brain, causing brain damage similar to that seen with a stroke.
Body's own proteins may lead the way in global fight against tuberculosis
Ohio scientists hope to counter the re-emerging threat of tuberculosis (TB) with help from proteins from our bodies. In a research report published in the June 2010 print issue of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, scientists show how the protein CCL5 plays a protective role in helping the body ward off this contagious, airborne disease in the early stages of infection. CCL5 is a member of a large family of proteins responsible for immune cell migration toward infection sites. The work on this molecule suggests that CCL5 and/or related proteins may lead to new therapies that help the immune system resist TB.
Link established between erectile dysfunction and calcified coronary arteries
In the largest study to date evaluating erectile dysfunction (ED) and coronary artery calcification, researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have determined that men with ED are at a significantly increased risk of high coronary artery calcification scores (CACS), a known predictor of future cardiovascular events. The research was presented this week at the American Urological Association (AUA) meeting in San Francisco.
Calcium consumption may cause prostate cancer in Chinese
Among Chinese men, calcium consumption — even at relatively low levels and from non-dairy food sources such as soy, grains and green vegetables — may increase prostate cancer risk, according to results published in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
New cancer guidelines: Exercise during and after treatment is now encouraged
Cancer patients who've been told to rest and avoid exercise can - and should - find ways to be physically active both during and after treatment, according to new national guidelines. Kathryn Schmitz, PhD, MPH, an associate professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and a member of the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, will present these guidelines at an educational session at the 2010 meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, aimed at making cancer exercise rehabilitation programs as common as those offered to people who have had heart attacks or undergone cardiac surgery. (Exercise Testing and Prescription for Cancer Survivors: Guidelines from the American College of Sports Medicine)
Dieting for dollars? More US employees trying it
(AP) -- How much money would it take to get you to lose some serious weight? $100? $500?
Mannitol boosts effectiveness of potential cord blood treatment for cerebral palsy in lab animals
The sugar-alcohol compound mannitol improved the therapeutic effectiveness of human umbilical cord blood cells injected into neonatal rat models of cerebral palsy, reports a new international study led by the University of South Florida. The mannitol opened the blood-brain barrier by temporarily shrinking the tight endothelial cells that make up the barrier.
Cancer deaths could double by 2030: study
Cancer could claim 13.3 million lives a year by 2030, the World Health Organisation's cancer research agency said Tuesday, almost double the 7.6 million deaths from the illness in 2008.
Genetic technology moving from lab to medical practices
In January, practicing doctors and doctors-to-be entered a new class at the Medical College of Wisconsin with a futuristic name, "Translational Genetics." The idea was simpler than it sounded: We are fast approaching the time when doctors will use our genetic profiles to treat us.
When do people seek help for hearing difficulties?
(PhysOrg.com) -- New research, the first of its kind, has studied illness perceptions in medically unexplained hearing difficulties. Medically unexplained hearing difficulties are common and account for at least ten per cent of audiology outpatient presentations.
Aspirin recommendations changed for many younger diabetic patients
Experts are now recommending that low-dose aspirin therapy to prevent heart attacks be used somewhat more conservatively - that men younger than 50 and women younger than 60, who have diabetes but no other major risk factors, probably not use aspirin.
Blocking DNA repair protein could lead to targeted, safer cancer therapy
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) and the School of Medicine have discovered that inhibiting a key molecule in a DNA repair pathway could provide the means to make cancer cells more sensitive to radiation therapy while protecting healthy cells.
One-third of young girls get HPV vaccine to prevent cervical cancer
Only about one in three young women has received the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to help prevent cervical cancer, according to a new report from researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
Treating heart attack past recommended time may significantly increase risk of death
An examination of the treatment received by patients with myocardial infarction (heart attack) at 80 hospitals in Quebec indicates that those who received either primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI; such as angioplasty) or fibrinolysis (administration of medication to dissolve blood clots) beyond the times recommended in international guidelines had a significantly increased risk of death within 30 days, along with an increased risk of the combined outcome of death or readmission for heart attack or heart failure at one year, according to a study in the June 2 issue of JAMA.
New discovery into causes of tremor
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists at Newcastle University have made a discovery which could help around 1 million people in the UK who suffer from shakes and tremors.
Study finds poker players using drugs to enhance performance
A Nova Southeastern University study recently presented at a national conference found that 80 percent of poker players around the world reported using drugs and other substances to enhance their performance in poker.
Cognitive ability, not age, predicts risky decisions
Just because your mother has turned 85, you shouldn't assume you'll have to take over her financial matters. She may be just as good or better than you at making quick, sound, money-making decisions, according to researchers at Duke University.
Immune cell's role in lupus nephritis demonstrated
National Institutes of Health scientists have discovered that the activation of immune cells called basophils causes kidney damage in a mouse model of lupus nephritis. These findings and the team's associated research in humans may lead to new treatments for this serious disease, a severe form of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) that affects the kidneys and is difficult to treat.
No relaxing for cancer cells
Many tumor cells would not be viable due to aberrant chromosome distribution if they had not developed a special trick. Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center have investigated which genes are responsible for this survival strategy of cancer cells. The revealed that cancer cells rely on the tension of specific protein fibers to be able to multiply. Thus, proteins which maintain this tension are promising targets for new, target-specific anticancer drugs: If they are switched off, cancer cells die.
Study finds cancer information on Wikipedia is accurate, but not very readable
It is a commonly held that information on Wikipedia should not be trusted, since it is written and edited by non-experts without professional oversight. But researchers from the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson have found differently, according to data being presented at the 2010 ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago.
Sluggish cell division may help explain genital defects
Scientists have learned how a gene widely known for precisely positioning and sculpting various organs also controls the speed of cell division, a finding that could be useful for understanding the explosive growth of cancer cells or why increasing numbers of children are being born with genital and urinary tract malformations.
Immune system helps transplanted stem cells navigate in central nervous system
By discovering how adult neural stem cells navigate to injury sites in the central nervous system, UC Irvine researchers have helped solve a puzzle in the creation of stem cell-based treatments: How do these cells know where to go?
Scientists determine structure of immune molecule that counteracts HIV strains
In findings that contribute to efforts to design an AIDS vaccine, a team led by Scripps Research Institute scientists has determined the structure of an immune system antibody molecule that effectively acts against most strains of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS.
Second language learners recall native language when reading
(PhysOrg.com) -- Adults fluent in English whose first language is Chinese retrieve their native language when reading in English, according to new research in the June 2 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. This study suggests that people who learn a second language in adolescence or later recall the sounds of words from their native language.
Adults with dyslexia have problems with non-speech sounds too
(PhysOrg.com) -- Dyslexia is usually associated with persistent reading, spelling, and sometimes speech difficulties that are hard to overcome. One theory proposed to explain the condition is that people with dyslexia suffer from a more fundamental deficit in auditory processing than just interpretation of the spoken or written word, but this idea has produced much debate. Now scientists in Europe have shown that adults with dyslexia do have a specific auditory processing impairment that is not specific to speech sounds.
Biology news
Genome of bacteria responsible for tuberculosis of olive tree sequenced
Researchers at the Public University of Navarra, the Polytechnic University of Madrid (CBGP), the University of Malaga, the University of Wisconsin and the Valencian Institute of Agricultural Research have managed to sequence the genome of the bacteria responsible for tuberculosis in the olive tree.
Uncovering the mystery of a major threat to wheat
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists have solved a longstanding mystery as to why a pathogen that threatens the world's wheat supply can be so adaptable, diverse and virulent. It is because the fungus that causes the wheat disease called stripe rust may use sexual recombination to adapt to resistant varieties of wheat.
Rare carnivorous plant on top 10 list of newly discovered species
Each year The International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University names the Top 10 new species described in the previous calendar year. The list for 2009 was published to coincide with the 303rd anniversary on May 23rd of the birth of Carl Linnaeus. It contains only two new plant species, one of which was first published in the Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society.
Count your chickens (and robins and pigeons...), urge researchers working to protect birds
People could help to prevent species of birds from becoming extinct by recording sightings of all kinds of birds online, including common species, according to a new study published today in PLoS Biology.
Plants spice up their sex life with defensins
Since the beginning, plants and animals have deployed various mechanisms to fight pathogens. Proteins have always played an important part in this armoury, and a broad variety of defensin proteins have become part of the immune system of plants, insects and other animals except mammals. Now scientists from Regensburg discovered that those proteins also play a role in the "sex life" during the fertilization process of plants. These findings will be published next week in the online, open access journal PLoS Biology.
Squirrels show softer side by adopting orphans, study finds
Those neighbourhood squirrels you often see fighting over food may not seem altruistic, but new University of Guelph research has found that the critters will actually take in orphaned relatives.
'Little brown balls' tie malaria and algae to common ancestor
Inconspicuous "little brown balls" in the ocean have helped settle a long-standing debate about the origin of malaria and the algae responsible for toxic red tides, according to a new study by University of British Columbia researchers.
Jumping Genes Provide Extensive 'Raw Material' for Evolution, Study Finds
(PhysOrg.com) -- Using high-throughput sequencing to map the locations of a common type of jumping gene within a person's entire genome, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found extensive variation in these locations among the individuals they studied, further underscoring the role of these errant genes in maintaining genetic diversity.
Lasers help researchers predict birds' preferred habitat
Every spring, migratory birds like the Black-throated Blue Warbler journey from tropical Caribbean or South American refuges to North American forests. But which forest patch will they call home this year? And, how can researchers predict where they choose to nest?
New gecko species identified in West African rain forests
The West African forest gecko, a secretive but widely distributed species in forest patches from Ghana to Congo, is actually four distinct species that appear to have evolved over the past 100,000 years due to the fragmentation of a belt of tropical rain forest , according to a report in this week's issue of the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
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